It has been a busy year for the property market. According to the ONS, UK average house prices increased by 10.9 per cent over the year to February 2022, with the average UK house price at £277,000 - which is £27,000 higher than last year.
However, alongside the changes in property prices has come changes to buyers' needs. In fact, according to Garrington, more space, somewhere comfortable to work and a better standard of life are cited as top requirements on many buyers’ wish lists.
"With millions of people keen to continue working remotely at least some of the time, many are reassessing what they want from their home – and this shift is transforming Britain’s property market for good," the company explained. The news comes as part of their announcement of their annual 'Best Places to Live' list.
This year has seen additional criteria added to company's quality-of-life category, and, reflecting the changing demands of buyers, sustainability criteria have been included too. As a result, just seven of their top 20 locations of 2021 remain there this year. This year's top 10 'Best Places to Live' include locations such as Bath, Hadleigh, and Lyme Regis.
"Half of our top 10 destinations for 2022 are located in the South West," shared Garrington on their website. They also have provided access to their full research findings, allowing you to compare the scores of different locations across England and Wales.
"Half of our top 10 locations rank in the top 5 per cent of all locations for ‘Going Green’. With a move to hybrid working the new reality for many, access to fast broadband remains a prerequisite for inclusion."
'Best Places to Live in 2022'
- Bath
- Lyme Regis
- Salisbury
- Caton
- Kidwelly
- Fowey
- Wilton
- Hadleigh
- Folkestone
- Newport
When discussing their number one location, Garrington wrote: "Bath was named in TIME magazine as one of the world’s top 100 greatest places to visit, one of only two locations in the UK to feature; and is ranked in the Top 10 UK cities by Conde Nest Traveller to visit.
"As the only UNESCO World Heritage City in the UK, and in 2021 joining a prestigious grouping of 11 towns across Europe to be awarded a Great Spa Towns of Europe categorisation by UNESCO, it is perhaps no surprise it has retained its top spot for architectural heritage."
Top three locations to live, within each country:
England:
- Bath
- Lyme Regis
- Salisbury
Wales:
- Kidwelly
- Tenby
- Porthmadog
Scotland:
- Saltcoats
- Balloch and Haldane
- Stirling
"What is clear from our Index is that changing buyer demands, lifestyle choices and societal shifts all have a role in determining what locations top the buyer wish lists.
"With 2022 hoping to bring a more settled return to normal life, will the current top spots head the rankings a year from now?"
For more information visit Garrington's website here.
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